The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-01-14
TWO SLEIGH RIDES
Jingle, Jingle, Jingle!

Lucia Ringgold gave a great sigh as
she turned from the piano and sat
down in n recess Of a deep bay window,
drawing the curtains aside to look
wistfuIly out upon the gay scene.
AS she did so an elegant sleigh dashed
up to the door, and a gentleman, muf-
fled to the chin in frs, sprung out, and
a Familiarity up the broad stone
steps.
Gerald Cosgrove!" exclaimed Lucia
to herself. "And Flossie is gone of
with some one else. Oh, what a ter
rible hirt she is! But she has so many
to minister to her happiness and
pleasure that she cannot appreciate
their devotion. All, me! if l had but
one OF the hearts she thinks so lightly
of to care for my happiness"
But at that instant the door-bell
rang, and Lucia went herself to admit
the visitor.
"Oh, Mr.. Cosgrovel" she began; the
sweet sympathy OF a kind heart show
ing itself in her dark, expressive eyes,
and in every line of her pretty face,
81 am so sorry you will have to be
disappointed"
Disappointed? How so, Miss Lu-
Cia?" asked the gentleman, pausingab b
ruptly on his way to the drawing
room.
why" said Lucia. coloring with
embarrassment, "Flossie has gone
out with Colonel Waterson!"
with Colonel Waterson?"
After uttering that surprised exclam-
alton, Gerald Cosgrove stood for a
moment in mortified silence.
A deep, red flush mounted to his
brow, and he bit mis- lip with anger.
This was not the first time that
beautiful Miss Flossie had placed him
in such an unenviable position, and
made him an object of pity to her
kind-hearted cousin.
But she had always managed to
smooth it over with pretty excuses,
and to bind him still more firmly in
her chains.
But he was growing weary of it, and
just now he felt strongly inclined to
free himself forever from the silken
letters of the capricious beauty.
With Colonel Waterson of all men
in the world He was thoroughly an
cry and disguised.
Miss Lucia" he said, after a mo-
ment's thought, II had anticipated a
very charming drive this evening, and,
if you will take your cousins place,
we can have it after all. My sleigh is
waiting at the door. Will you %"
They were standing IN the lux driant
drawing-room and he was looking
down into her blushing, anxious face
with a very persuasive smile.
Lucia looked up in startled wonder.
do you really meaa it, Mr.. Cos,
grover" she faltered, her heart throb-
bing so loudly that she thought he
must surely hear it. FL ain afraid
that Flossie wouldn't like it."
"We are not in honor bound to on
ter" he answered, rather haughtily.
She is not SO considerable OF Others.
Now run along, Miss Lucia, and get
ready" he added smilingly. 'Ishallb be
very angry with you If you refuse"
Lucia needed no more persuasion.
She FASTENED to her room, and in a
perfect maze OF sweet, bewildered hap
piness, enveloped her graceful form in
It's pretty wraps.
Poor child, it was not often that any
of Faossie's handsome cavaliers was
so kind to her.
The shy, penniless orphan girl was
SO used TO seeing her dashing cousin
appropriate the lions share of every
thing that she was only too grateful
Tor a little attention from the one
whom, above all others, she admired
and-loved. Yes, though almost I'M
acknowledged to herself, Gerald Cos
groves was the one heart whose pos.
session she had envied her Cousin
Flossie.
Gerald lifted the light form into
his sleigh and tucked the warm robes
about her with all the tender care
which he would have bestowed upon
the bewitching Flossie. Then, taking
his place beside her, they fitted away
into the starry night to the silvery
music Of their own jingling, merry
bells.
What a happy sleigh ride it was.
Lucia, gay and light-hearted as q
bird, proved a most delightful com
panion, and Gerald q surprised to
find himself caring so little Tor his re,
cen disappointment. Hehad always
liked the shy, sweet orphan girl, and
now he wondered how be had so long
allowed the dashing beauty of her
wealthy cousin to blind him to her
sweeter, rarer charms.